Apparatus for molding articles from pulp.



M. P. CHAPLIN.

APPARATUS FOR MOLDING ARTICLES FROM PULP. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, I913- 131%,42. Patented May 23,1916.

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M. P. CHAPLIN. APPARATUS FOR MOLDING ARTICLES FROM PULP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-11,1913.

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Patented May 23, 1916.

lnv anion Merle I Che! WM Witnesses.

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MERLE P. CHAPLIN, OF PAIRFIELD, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO FIBRE COMPANY, OF

' WATERVILLE, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

APPARATUS FOR MOLDING ARTICLES FROM. PULP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Application filed November 11, 1913. Serial No. 800,394.' 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MERLE P. CHAPLIN, citizen of the United States, residing at Fairfield, county of Somerset, State of Maine, haveinvented an Improvement in Apparatus for Molding Articles from Pulp, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention is for an improvement in machines or apparatus for molding articles from pulp, such as has been made the subject of previous patents granted to Martin L. Keyes, among which are Patents #759,616, dated May 10, 1904, #788,138, dated April 25, 1,905, reissue #12,911, dated Jan. 12, 1909. Machines of this type comprise a mold having nesting faces between which the article is formed, a'vat to contain pulp, means to dip one of said mold faces, which will be referred to hereafter as the receiving mold face, into the pulp, meansto apply suction to said face while it is 1mmersed in the pulp, whereby a layer of pulp is deposited on said face, and means to thereafter close the faces of the mold together and press the pulp into an article of the desired shape.

-In the particular embodiment of the 1nvention illustrated -in these patents the molds are carried upon arms projectlng raa hub, revolubly mounted upon a shaft w ich extends across the top of the vat. The molds comprise a receiving member fixed to the mold carrying arms, and a compressing mold member pivotally at- The arms con necting the mold members to the hub are hol low and adapted to be connected with means for exhausting the air therefrom, as will hereafter more fully appear; During the rotation of the carrier the fixed mold memher or receiving face is immersed in the pulp and suction is applied thereto, whereby a layer of pulp is deposited thereon; During the continued movement of the mold carrier,

ceiving mold face, thereby loosening the formed article and transferring it to the compression mold face.

As pointed out in Patent #759,616, it has been found essential that all of the water should be drawn from the fixed mold member before the airis admitted to said mem-- bers for blowing off the molded article, because if any water remains in said member the blast of air will blow said water through the 'perforated face and soften the article to such a degree that it cannot be effectively handled. In the'device shown in said patent a draining chamber communicated with the interior of the fixed or receiving mold member and was so shaped that by the time the mold reached the position in which the members were to be separated all the water in the draining chamber would have a tendency to run off by gravity. It also included a valve mounted in the fixed mold member and communicating with the atmosphere, the said valve being open during the compressing operation, and while the said mold member was still connected with the vacuum, so that the water in said mold member and draining chamber would be swept out by the vacuum before the compressed air is introduced to discharge the molded article from the fixed mold member.

As set forth in Reissue Patent #12,911 this arrangement had some objectionable features, in that the valve in the fixed mold member was carried upon every rotation through the Nat and became more or less plugged with pulp. Frequently pulp and other foreign matter would be drawn into the valve causing injury to the vacuum system or if blown by the compressed air from the hollow arm onto the mold face, or articles being molded would cause injurv to the molded article. This objection was largely obviated by the improved device disclosed in the Reissue Patent #12,911 in which means were provided for supplying a draft of air to the mold member without carrying thereinto any pulp or foreign matter. This was secured by providing a separate air pipe connecting the air chamber in the back of the fixed mold member with a port in the hub of the mold carrier and by providing the stationary coiiperating collar with a. port open to the atmosphere, through which communication could be made with the portof the air pipe at the desired time, namely, while the fixed mold member was still in communication with the vacuum and ,member. v ferred form of invention illustrated herein .before the compressed air has been admitted to the fixed mold member. In the construction shown in the Reissue Letters, Patent #12,911, however, the suction and the compressed air were both supplied through the hollow arms leading to the receiving mold members at different periods in the revolution of the mold carrier.

In the operation of machines in which the air is first exhausted to the hollow arms leading through the receiving mold members and compressed air thereafter supplied for the purpose ofreleasing the molded article from the receiving mold member, some water, pulp, etc, remains in the hollow arm, accumulates gradually until the arm is partially filled, whereupona succeeding blast of compressed air will loosen the same and project it against the molded article. In the present invention thisdifiiculty is overcome by providing means independent of the hol- -low arm 17 for supplying compressed air to the chamber at the rear of the receiving mold This is accomplished in the preby arranging the separate air pipe which connects the chamber in the back of the fixed mold member to communicate through a port in the hub which will deliver to said pipe the supply of compressed air necessary to release the molded article from the receiving mold member. By this arrangement only suction upon the receiving mold member is applied through the hollow arm leading to said member and any residue of pulp or'the like which is drawn toward the hub will be retained in the pipe or in the vacuum chamber with which it communicates and.

' will not be projected upon the molded ar- '.the molded article to adhere to the compression face. The pivoted arm was then swung down and the molded article removed by a transferring device to a suitable drier. The hollow arm was-connected with a port in the hub which communicated with a compression port in the collar at the period in its revolution in which it was desired to deliver the molded articles from the compressing face. It is found in practice'to be decollars.

sirable to adjust the point in the rotation of the mold member at which the compressed air is admitted to the compression face for the purpose of loosening the molded article so that it may be receivedand removed by the ready access to the interior of the hub.

- The nature of the invention will more 'fully appear from the accompanying description and drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The drawings illustrate as much of the apparatus of the type disclosed in the aforesaid patents as is necessary for an understanding of the invention here involved, and show in detail the particular improvements which are the subject of the subjoined claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation #of the apparatus for molding articles from pulp, shown in a somewhat conventional form for the purpose of illustrating the general arrangement of the parts. Fig. 2 is a front end'elevation of the collar on the shaft looking toward the machine as positioned in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view showing the end of the hub of the mold carrier, which is toward the front in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the collar on the shaft at the rear side of the hub. Fig. 5 is a view of the opposite end of the hub to that shown in Fig. 2, and which cooperates with the collar shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section of the hub of the mold carrier and which the radial hollow mold arms and the a1r pipes leading'to the molds are secured.

The apparatus in which this invention is Fig. 7 is a side view of-the hub showing the position of the recesses, in.

mounted to rotate freely on the shaft 5, and

is provided with radial hollow arms 7 and 8 leading respectively from ports on opposite sides of the hub to the respective mold members 9 which pass through the comreceiving member, an air passage is pro-I vided, which is shown herein as small pipe 13, which enters back ofthe fixed or 'receiving mold member, extends downalong the hollow arm 7 of the receiving member and terminates near the hub 6. A flexible tube 14c extends from the end of the tube 13 to the hub and leads to ports 15 anarcopening at the face of the hub 6. The ports 15 ,and 16 are of difierent sizes andare adapted to register respectively with an opening leading to the atmosphere, and

- I with a compression port in the collar 4, as

will be herein described.

The collar 4 is provided with a base plate 17, adapted to be secured to the frame 2 aforesaid, and contains a vacuum chamber .18. It has a lateral extension 19,'which is that the port 11 of the receiving member will register with the opening thereof when u the receiving mold face is submerged in the pulp, and will be in communication therewith until the mold face has arisen from the pulp and passed the compression device. By this arrangement the liquid pulp is sucked up against the receiving mold face until, a layer is supplied thereto, the compression face is then forced against the mold face and .since suction is still present in the hollow arm which communicates with the mold receiving face the water will be quickly and readily removed from the layer of pulp by the joint action of compression and suc tion. The air necessary to permit the free drainage of thewater during such action is supplied to the mold face while the suction is being continued through a port in the form of an elongated slot 21 near the periphery of the collar which is adapted to register with the port 15' of the air passage 13 during the passage of the mold through the compressing mechanism, in the manner disclosed in reissued Letters Patent #12,911, to which reference has heretofore been made. In the device disclosed in that patent the molded article was loosened from the receiving face, after the completion of the com: pression and suction action above described, by a puff of compressed air which was introduced through the hollow arm 7 In the present invention the compressed air, instead of being admitted to the hollow arm 7,-is introduced through the port 22 in the collar 4 intothe air pipe or passage 13 and thence directly into the chamber at the rear. of the mold face, thus avoiding the wasting of compressed air and also resulting in quicker and more effective loosening of the molded article from the receiving face.

In the machines disclosed in the patents above referred to the .molded articleis transferred at this point to the compressing mold face and retained thereon by suction applied through the hollow arm 8 which communicates therewith. In the present machine as in those disclosed in the patents aforesaid, suction is applied to this member through a collar 23 which corresponds to the collar 4, and has a flat face abutting the opposite flat face of the hub 6. The collar 23 is provided with a vacuum chamber 24 connected through an inlet 25 to the vacu um apparatus, and also with a port 26, which is connected to the air compressor. These ports are adapted to register in turn with the port 12in the hub leading to the compressing face and are so arranged that as soon as the molded article has been loosened from the receivingface by a puff of compressed air, as aforesaid, itwill be caused to adhere to the compressing face by reason of the port 12 coming into registry with the vacuum port inthe collar 23. I 1

After the molded article has been carried to the proper position for its removal which, as shown in the patents above referred to, is in substantially a vertical'plane through the axis of the main shaft, a puff of compressed air is supplied to the back of the compression face through the port 26 in the collar 23, port 12 and the hub on the hollow arm 8. At this time the molded article is received upon a sucker carried by delivery mechanism not shown, and removed from the machine.

It is desirable in assembling machines that the relative positions of the ports of the collars 4c and 23 be made adjustable so that suction or compressed air may be applied to the compressing face at the desired instantparticularly to permit the introduction of the compressed air at the proper time to release the article from the compressing screws 28 are threaded/in the collar and engage opposite sides of the fin or key. By screwing one of these screws forward and retracting the other a fine adjustment of the parts may be had so that the relative positions of the ports connecting with the receiving and compressing face respectively may be accurately determined.

In order to take up for the wear which occurs between the fiat faces of the hub 6. and the collars 4 and 23, means are provided for tightening the collars againstthe flat faces of the hubs. This means comprises a collar 30 which may be formed integrally upon the hollow shaft 5 by turning or otherwise, or may be in .the form of a ring shrunken upon said hollow shaft. The collar 4 abuts against the shoulder thus formed.

'At the other side of the hub and collar 23 the hollow shaft is screw threaded and is provided with a pair of lock-nuts 31 and 32 .which are adapted to be forced firmly against the outer face of the collar 23. A washer 33 may, if desired, be placed between the collar 23 and the hub 31. By reason of this construction any wear which occurs upon the relatively rotating faces of the hub I and collars may be readily taken up and an air-tight connection between the hub and the respective collars thereby may be maintained.

- 7 Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an apparatus of the class described comprising a pulp containing vat, a traveling mold including a receiving member and a compressing member, .mea-nsperiodically to immerse said receiving member in the'pulp I to receive the layer of pulp thereon, means to compress said mold 2 members with the pulp layer therebetween, means acting automatically to exhaust the air from said receiving member during immersion and compresslon, means lndependent of the exhaust- -ing. means for supplying compressed air 'ticle from the face of the through the rear face of the said receivingmold memberafter the completion of the compressing action to loosen the molded arreceiving mold member.

'.' 2. In an apparatus of the class described a pulp containing vat, a two-part traveling mold comprising a receiving member and a compresslng member, means periodically to immerse sa1d recelvlng member 1n the pulp to receive a layer thereon, means to compress said mold members with the pulp layer therebetween,- means acting automatically to exhaust the air from said receiving member during immersion and compression, means to admit air to the rear face of sa1d receiving mold member during the compression of the member after the completion of the compressing action to loosen the molded article from the face of the'receiving mold member.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a pulp containing vat, a two part traveling mold comprising a receiving member and a compressing member having cooperating perforated faces, means periodically to immerse said receiving member in the pulp to receive a layer-thereon, means acting automatically to exhaust the air from said receiving member during and after its immersion, means to compress said mold members with the pulp layer therebetween, a

separate air passage communicating with said receiving member, means adapted to open said passage to the atmosphere during the action of said exhausting means, and means to supply compressed air to said air passage on the completion of said action, whereby the molded article is loosened from said receiving face and adapted to be trans ferred to said compressing face.

' 4. In an apparatus of the class described,

a pulp containing vat, a two part traveling mold comprising a receiving member and a compressing member and cooperating perfo rated faces, means periodically to immerse said receiving member in the pulp to re- I ceive a layer thereon, means acting automatically to exhaust the air from said receiving member during andafter its 1mmersion, means to compress sa1d mold members with the pulp layer therebetween, a

separate air passage communicating with said receiving member, and having a plurality of ports, means for maintalning sa1d ports normally closed, means for opening one of said ports to the atmosphere during the action of the exhausting means,\and

means to supply compressed air fromanother portafter the completion of such action.

5. In an apparatus of the'class described, a pulp containing vat, a non-revoluble shaft, a mold carrier. revolubly mounted thereon, comprising a hub having a series of radially arranged. hollow arms fixed thereto, a receiving mold member provided with a perforated face carriedby each arm, ports in said hub communicating w1th sa1d hollow arms, a separate air passage connecting said receiving mold member w1th said hub, a collar fixed to sa1d shaft provided with a vacuum chamber adapted to communicate with said hollow arms asthe ports in the hub pass into registry therewith, a port'in said collar adapted to open said ail; passage to the atmosphere during receiving mold member, a compressed air the action of the exhausting means upon the port in said collar adapted to supply air to said air passage on the completion of. the

exhaust, means for exhausting the air from said vacuum chamber, and means for supplying compressed air to said compressed air port.

,6. In an apparatus of the class described a rotary hub, connections on the periphery thereof adapted to receiving a series of hollow mold carrying arms, a second series of connections in the periphery thereof located respectively between the members of the firstseries of connections and adapted to receive pipes for transmitting air to the mold members, a plurality of series of ports on the face of said hub, one of said series being adapted to communicate with said hollow arms, and two of said series being adapted to communicate. with said air pipe, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a fixed shaft, a hub freely revoluble thereon presenting oppositely disposed fiat faces, ports in said faces adapted to connect with mold memberscarried by said hub, a collar having cooperating ports at one side of said hub and provided with a fiat face cooperating with the face of said hub, means for rotarily adjusting said collar upon said shaft whereby the timing of the registry of the ports therein with those upon the hub may be varied.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a fixed shaft, a hub freely revoluble thereon, and presenting oppositely disposed flat faces having ports adapted to connect with hollow receiving and compressing mold members respectively, a collar fixed to said shaft and having ports cooperating with the ports in the hub leading to the receiving mold members, a collar mounted on said shaft and having ports cooperating with the ports on the hub leading to the compressing member, and means for rotarily adjusting said last mentioned collar on said shaft.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a fixed shaft, a hub freely revoluble thereon, and presenting oppositely disposed flat faces having ports adapted to connect with hollow receiving and compressing mold members respectively, a collar fixed to said shaft and having ports cooperating with the ports in the hub leading to the receiving mold members, a collar mounted on said shaft and having ports cooperating with the ports on the hub leading to the compressing member, and means for rotarily adjusting said last mentioned collar on said shaft, comprising a lug or key projecting laterally from said shaft and loosely entering a slot or keyway in said collar, and oppositely disposed screws threaded in said collar adapted to. engage opposite sides of said lug or key.

1 10'. In an apparatus of the class described a fixed shaft, a hub freely revoluble thereon and presenting oppositely disposed faces having ports leading to air passages adapted to connect with hollow receiving and compressing mold members respectively, collars keyed upon said shaft having ports cooperating with the ports in the hub MERLE P. CHAPLIN.

Witnesses:

HARRY L. Holmes, 0. A. BRADBURY. 

